I want to add a little color to my kitchen cabinets without refinishing them. They are nutmeg oil based stain on oak, which is a medium orange-brown color. My target color is a touch darker to match the Rodda #19 stain the rest of our decor (one shade darker on the rodda chart). The cabinets are lacquered and in really good shape.

I have tried spraying tinted lacquer on past projects – just a teaspoon or two of universal color per quart of lacquer. I had pretty good results with this, but it can be tricky to get the color even. Also, if you get any runs in the lacquer they will have more concentrated color in those spots.

I am wondering if anyone has tried glazing cabinets over lacquer.Or better yet if there is a wax that can darken the finish a bit. I tried Howard’s Walnut wax, but it didn’t change the color. Briwax? Black Bison?Any ideas?

Thanks

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4 replies so far

You can get black paste wax. Be warned, it has solventsin it that normal paste wax doesn’t have. I put some ona recently spray-painted surface once and it make the paint ruck up and come off.

The black wax will concentrated in corners and recessesnaturally. It shifts the tone of the piece towards a shadeor so darker, but it doesn’t deliver a uniformly dark shiftin color. Try some black shoe polish on a test piece andyou’ll get an idea of what the wax will do.

I’ve tried this before and found tinted waxes only really have an effect when applied to natural timber, by the time they are buffed up over a lacquer they are that thin that you’d hardly know that they are there.

I can say that Glazing is probably not the choice you’re looking for. In my experience we have always glazed the primer/sealer coat. then 2 top coats over that. It seems you’re trying not to reapply the topcoats.

Another good point about the glaze is it is intended to be built up in any little crevice or ridge. You wuill surely have a ton in the corners if you have raised panel doors. All the profiles will also get it.

My reccomendation is a tint coat. You’ll have to spray it anyways over the glaze. Wipe all to be tinted surfaces with an oil and grease remover that is compatible with your new finish. Spray the parts from about 18”-24” and dont try to get the color to match wet…. let it dry many light coats is always better than one thick coat.